K-WINGS TO START THE 2012-2013 SEASON AGAINST THE KOMETS

The Kalamazoo Wings, proud member of the ECHL, three-time defending North Division Champions and National Hockey League affiliate to the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils and the American Hockey League’s Albany Devils, announce its 72-game schedule for the upcoming 2012-2013 season.

The K-Wings regular season will run from October 12th-March 30th. All 23 of the member clubs in the ECHL will play 72 games (36 home and 36 away).

Kalamazoo will start the season at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana to the battle the Fort Wayne Komets. The encounter will be the first between the teams since the 2008-09 season in the old International Hockey League and will rekindle one of the greatest rivalries in minor league hockey.

A week later on Friday, October 19th, the K-Wings and Komets will reconvene, this time at Wings Stadium for Kalamazoo’s home opener, when the K-Wings raise their North Division Championship banner prior to face-off. Rivalry weekend will continue the following night on Saturday, October 20th, as the Toledo Walleye come to town.

Also in the month of October, the K-Wings will host the 9th Annual Orange Ice Game on Saturday, October 27th when the Evansville Icemen make their first-ever appearance at Wings Stadium. Fans are encouraged to dress in costumes and participate in Halloween festivities. The Orange Ice clash will be the first of five premium night games on the K-Wings’ schedule.

Other game highlights include the 11th Annual New Year’s Eve Bash versus the Cincinnati Cyclones. On Thursday, February 14th, the K-Wings will battle the Trenton Titans during the 13th Annual Pink Ice Game. The K-Wings will also host their 5th Annual McDonald’s Golden Ice Game, with the opponent and date to be announced at a later date.

One of the most historic traditions in hockey will continue on Sunday, March 17th, when the Greenville Road Warriors invade Wings Stadium for the 32nd Annual World Famous “Green Ice” Game.

For the first-time in the regular season, the K-Wings will host a regular season contest versus a member of the Western Conference, as the Bakersfield Condors come to town on Sunday, January 27th.

Kalamazoo will play the defending Kelly Cup Champions and the team that eliminated the K-Wings from the postseason, the Florida Everblades, two times during the season both at Wings Stadium on Saturday, December 15th and on Sunday, March 10th.

The K-Wings, who will not play the Everblades in the Sunshine State, will head to Florida for three games in mid-November to play one of the league’s newest teams, the Orlando Solar Bears. The games will be the only games between the teams this season.

This year, the K-Wings will be celebrating their 39th season of professional hockey and third in the ECHL, which features coast-to-coast hockey with 23 teams in 16 states. Kalamazoo will play 13 of the league’s 23 teams, including all 12 Eastern Conference teams.

The four teams the K-Wings battle the most this year are the Fort Wayne Komets (15 games; 9 home and 6 away), the Toledo Walleye (13 games; 7 home, 6 away), the Evansville Icemen (13 games; 7 home, 6 away) and the Cincinnati Cyclones (8 games; 3 home and 5 away).

A complete schedule of K-Wings games for the 2012-2013 season is attached to this press release.

Season tickets for the upcoming 2012-2013 season of K-Wings hockey are currently on sale at the K-Wings front office. Fans can purchase their tickets during regular business hours of Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. or by calling (269) 349-9772.